flDai\>  (graybtel. 

[From  Missionary  Tidings,  July,  1895.] 

As  the  fullness  of  Timothy’s  faith  dwelt  in 
his  mother,  Eunice,  so  the  faith  of  Miss  Mary 
dwelt  first  in  her  mother,  Lydia  Graybiel.  From 
her  she  learned  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  inher¬ 
ited  a  heroic  nature.  Many  of  you  have  seen 
this  venerable  mother  in  Israel  and  heard  her 
precious  words  of  exhortation.  She  who  fur¬ 
nishes  a  well-equipped  missionary  for  the  world’s 
salvation  has  made  a  contribution  beyond  hu¬ 
man  estimation.  May  the  Lord  bless  her  mem¬ 
ory  and  cause  us  to  live  more  Christ-like. 

Miss  Mary’s  early  life  was  spent  in  Williams- 
ville,  N.  Y.,  near  Buffalo,  where  she  received  a 
liberal  education  in  the  Academy  established 
there  by  our  Brethren  in  1856,  first  presided 
over  by  Bro.  Thomas  Munnell  and  later  by  Bro. 
Joseph  King.  She  obeyed  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
at  about  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  her  relig¬ 
ion  was  a  deep  and  forcible  characteristic  of  her 
life.  She  spent  several  years  in  teaching  in 
western  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  and  every¬ 
where  her  Christian  life  made  a  deep  impres¬ 
sion,  which  still  exists  in  the  lives  of  many. 

When  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  raged  in  the 
South  her  heroic  nature  led  her  to  volunteer  to 
go  to  the  bedsides  of  the  suffering  and  dying, 
but  the  abating  necessity  prevented  her  going. 
Things  which  appeared  as  hardships  to  many 
of  her  friends  did  not  seem  so  to  her,  but  rather 
a  pleasure.  She  was  heard  to  say  once,  “I  am 
always  glad  when  the  Lord  gives  me  something 
hard  to  do  for  Him.”  What  a  noble  spirit  this 
is!  Yet  how  few  seek  it. 

She  offered  herself  as  a  missionary  to  India 
at  the  first  call.  Her  life  and  preparation 
seemed  to  be  waiting  for  the  tardy  call  of  God’s 


people  to  “go  forward.”  Although,  in  quest 
of  renewed  health,  compelled  to  return  after 
nine  years  of  constant  service  in  Bilaspur,  build¬ 
ing  the  bungalow  and  superintending  that  mis¬ 
sion,  yet  no  pleasures  of  native  country  tempted 
her  to  relinquish  her  purpose  to  return  and  take 
up  the  work  she  had  so  reluctantly  laid  down. 
In  September,  1894,  she,  in  company  with  Miss 
Frost,  sailed  again  for  India,  and  is  now  at 
work  in  Mahoba,  in  Northwest  Provinces. 

In  the  early  part  of  her  missionary  labors  in 
India  she  had  many  hard  things  to  endure,  but 
the  Lord  has  rewarded  His  faithful  servants 
now  with  more  comforts  and  less  opposition. 

While  in  America  her  friends  tried  to  per¬ 
suade  her  she  could  do  as  much  good  here  as 
in  India,  but  she  persistently  replied,  “There 
are  plenty  who  are  willing  to  fill  these  places 
but  not  so  many  who  will  go  to  India.” 

I  presume  her  hardest  trial  was  to  leave  her 
mother,  whom  she  had  no  reasonable  hopes  to 
meet  again  in  the  flesh.  It  was  a  grand  lesson 
to  us  all,  for  her  trembling  mother,  eighty-four 
years  old,  to  give  her  free  and  glad  consent  for 
her  daughter  to  return  to  her  loved  work  so  far 
away.  It  was  the  final  farewell,  as  all  sup¬ 
posed  it  would  be,  on  earth,  but  a  joyful  meet¬ 
ing  awaits  them  on  the  other  shore. 

Sister  Mary  Graybiel  is  held  in  loving  esteem 
by  all  the  church  hjere.  Hardly  a  week  goes 
by  but  an  earnest  prayer  is  heard  here  in  be¬ 
half  of  our  loved  ones  in  India.  May  the  Lord 
bless  them. 

Mrs.  J.  G.  Waggoner. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  March  8,  1895. 


Published  by  the  Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Mis¬ 
sions,  152  E.  Market  St.,  Indianapolis,  Iud.,  March,  1900. 
One  cent  each  ;  five  cents  per  dozen. 


